BASEBALL DAILY REPORT : ANGELS : Grahe’s Game Worth Another Start

Joe Grahe, 0-3 with a 9.64 earned-run average as a starter, will get another chance to keep the fifth spot in the pitching rotation.

Grahe gave up three earned runs over in seven innings Sunday, but Luis Polonia’s misplay on Willie Wilson’s fifth-inning line drive was responsible for that.

“I certainly think he deserves the benefit of the doubt, deferential treatment,” Manager Doug Rader said of Grahe. “Even the ballgame against Minnesota (Aug. 5) after the first inning he pitched very well, so he’s put together a string of impressive innings.”

“There’s no question he pitched an outstanding ballgame, and I know I’m beginning to sound redundant saying, ‘The pitcher pitched well enough to win.’ Joe Grahe pitched well enough to win.”

Grahe said he was satisfied with his outing. “With my situation, I had to be concerned with myself,” he said. “Not trying to be selfish, but I had to prove something to myself.”

Donnie Hill was to play second base Sunday, but he was scratched from the original lineup because of an ear problem that left him generally miserable. He was replaced by Luis Sojo, who hit his first home run since Aug. 31, 1990. ‘I found out at 12 o’clock I was going to play,” Sojo said. “The home run from a guy like me. It’s too bad we didn’t win.” Every Angel hitter except Dick Schofield has hit at least one home run this season. Schofield’s last homer was on June 9, 1990, against Texas.